GB2409193A

GB2409193A - Vehicle roof rack loading device

Info

Publication number: GB2409193A
Application number: GB0427387A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Donald Stanley Charle Sharland
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2003-12-16
Filing date: 2004-12-14
Publication date: 2005-06-22
Anticipated expiration: 2024-12-14
Also published as: GB2409193B; GB0329088D0; GB0427387D0

Abstract

A roof rack which facilitates loading and unloading of high vehicles includes a base frame 1 and a movable support frame 8. The support frame can be slid across a loading edge 5 of the base frame by means of guides 15 and 16 which are in turn pivotally secured to the base frame 1 to allow tilting of the support frame into an inclined loading and unloading position adjacent to one side of the vehicle. Controlled movement of the support frame 8 is achieved by scissor linkage units 36 and 37 which are extended and retracted by a low voltage motor 39 using opposite-handed screw threads. The support frame may have additional telescopic sections to permit loading and loading at an even lower position.

Description

OBJECT HOLDER

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to devices which can be used to hold objects during storage or transportation for example. An particular application of the invention lies in roof racks for motor vehicles.

BACKGROUND

Roof racks are often fitted to vehicles to increase their luggage carrying capacity. Many vehicles have factory-fitted roof bars to which additional bars and frames may be attached for load-carrying purposes. Vehicles such as four-wheel-drive vehicles, personnel carriers, and commercial vans, have high roofs, making it difficult to load and unload a roof rack if one is fitted to the vehicle. For example, it is very difficult to load windsurfing boards onto a high top van and retrieve them again without using a ladder. The same problems are encountered in loading other objects such as suitcases and bags, skis, canoes, bicycles, ladders, or pipes and tubes, for example.

The present invention seeks to provide a new and inventive form of holder which is easy to load and unload. r - 2

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides an object holder including: - a base for mounting in a generally horizontal position, the base having a loading edge extending along one side thereof; - a support structure which is movably mounted on the base and which, in a carrying position, substantially overlies the base to support an object; - guide means which constrains the support structure for movement transverse to the loading edge so that the support structure may project beyond the loading edge, pivot means which constrains the support structure to tilt about a pivot axis disposed adjacent and generally parallel to the loading edge; and drive means acting between the support structure and the base to move the support structure, constrained by the guide means and the pivot means, into an inclined loading and unloading position adjacent to the base.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The following description and the accompanying drawings referred to therein are included by way of non-limiting example in order to illustrate how the invention may be put into practice In the drawings: Finure 1 is a general view of an object holder in accordance with the invention, in the form of a roof rack for a motor vehicle; - 3 __v Fioure 2 is a cross section through one of the base members of the roof rack; Finure 3 is a cross section through an alternative form of the base member; Figure 4 is a cross section through a possible form of support member for use in the roof rack; Fioure 5 is a cross section through another possible form of the support member; Figure 6 is a longitudinal section through one of the guides for use in the roof rack; Figure 7 is a transverse section through the guide as incorporated in the roof rack; Fioure 8 is a side view of the guide as incorporated in the roof rack; Fioure 9 is a side view showing one end of the support member; Finure 10 is an end view of the support member looking from the right in Fig. 9; Finure 11 is a plan view of a scissor linkage drive unit of the roof rack; - 4 Finure 12 is a sectional detail of one possible form of the scissor linkage; Fiqure 13 is a sectional detail of another possible form of the scissor linkage; Figure 14 is a transverse section through a drive rod of the drive assembly; Fioure 15 is a schematic side view of the roof rack at the commencement of movement from a normal object carrying position towards a loading and unloading position; Fioure 16 is a schematic side view of the roof rack at the commencement of rotational movement of the support structure towards a loading and unloading position; Finure 17 is a schematic side view of the roof rack at the limit of translational sliding movement of the support frame; Finure 18 is a schematic side view of the roof rack with the support frame in the loading and unloading position; Figure 19 is a schematic side view of a modified form of the roof rack with the support frame in the loading and unloading position; and Finure 20 is a side view of the modified roof rack with the support frame in the loading and unloading position. - 5

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Referring firstly to Fig. 1, the roof rack has a rectangular base frame 1 which includes a pair of parallel base members 2, 3 which may be of box section as shown in Fig. 2. The base members may also be of invertedchannel section as shown in Fig. 3, allowing them to locate over existing rails or members. The base members 2 and 3 are secured transversely in known manner to a pair of roof rails 3, 4, which could extend longitudinally or across the vehicle. For additional rigidity, particularly when removed from the vehicle, one or more additional members, if desired, may permanently join the base members 2 and 3. The base frame 1 provides a loading edge 5, which is defined between two ends of the base members, extending parallel to one of the roof rails 3. The loading edge may be disposed along one side of the vehicle or along the rear of the vehicle.

A support frame 8 is movably mounted on the base frame 1, substantially overlying the base frame, to support an object to be carried. The support frame again comprises a pair of parallel support members, 9 and 10 which, for extra rigidity, may be connected by additional cross members 11 and 12 extending perpendicular to the support members 9 and 10.

The members 9 and 10 are shorter than the respective base members 2 and 3 which they overlie. The support members may be of various sections, but in this example the members are of box section with projecting flanges, shown in Fig. 7. Alternatively, the support members could be of double-I section as shown in Fig. 4. Another suitable shape is the single I section shown in Fig. 5.

A pair of guides 15 and 16 secure the support frame 8 to the base frame 1 - 6 at the loading edge 5. As shown in Fig.s 6, 7 and 8, each guide includes a U-section slide channel 18 with a pair of depending lugs 19 and 20 which are received on opposite sides of the respective base member 2, 3, to pivotally secure the guide to the base frame by means of pivot pins 21.

The two support members 9 and 10 slide within the respective channels 18 with their flanges located beneath spaced blocks 22 to resist lifting forces which may occur when the vehicle is in motion. Lateral location of the support members 9 and 10 may be provided by additional blocks 23 which contact the opposite sides of the box section. The bottom of the guide may advantageously be provided with low friction bearing surfaces 24. The guides 15 and 16 thus constrain the support frame to slide transverse to the loading edge 5 so that the support structure may move beyond the loading edge. When the centroid of the loaded support frame moves beyond the guides 15 and 16 the support frame has a tendency to tilt about the aligned axes of the pins 21 which extend generally parallel to the loading edge 5. As shown in Fig. 8, a damper 25 may be pivotally connected between one or both of the guides 15, 16 and the respective base member 2, 3 to control the rotational movement, particularly under windy conditions. A compressible bump stop could be used instead of a damper at any suitable position. The limit of sliding movement of the support frame 8 may be defined by engagement of projecting stops 26 (Fig. 1), which are secured to the support members 9 and 10, with the ends of the guides 15 and 16.

Other means of achieving the necessary low friction sliding and pivoting action could be used. For example, the support members could be slidably engaged with rollers 30, which are indicated in outline only.

The support members 9 and 10 may be provided with low friction sliding supports or rollers 32, as shown in Fig.s 9 and 10, to assist movement - 7 along the base members 2 and 3. The same components may also function as the stops 26, if desired.

The support frame may be required to carry heavy loads such as bicycles or windsurfing rigs. Controlled movement of the support frame from the carrying position illustrated in Fig.1 to a loading and unloading position is achieved by means of motorised drive units 36 and 37. Fig. 11 shows one of the drive units in plan view. Each unit includes a mounting plate 38, secured transversely on the respective base member 2 or 3, to carry a reversible electric drive motor 39. The motor turns a threaded rod 40 having left and right handed threaded sections 41 and 42 and supported by bearing brackets 43 and 44. A pair of nuts 45 and 46 are threadedly engaged with the respective sections 41 and 42 so that rotation of the rod will cause the nuts to move in opposite directions. A scissor linkage 47 is pivotally secured to the nuts 45 and 46, formed of a number of links 48 which are connected by pins 49 in a series of interconnected Xs, either using single links as shown in Fig. 12 or a combination of single and double links as shown in Fig. 13 Bearing sleeves may be provided around the pins 49, and bearing washers between the links etc., to reduce friction and wear. The opposite end of the scissor linkage 47 is connected by a hinge 50 (also shown in Fig. 9), with a horizontal hinge axis, to the adjacent end of a respective support member 9, 10. As shown in Fig.14, the mounting plate 38 is preferably connected to the base member by a further hinge 52 allowing the mounting plate to remain parallel to the links 48. In order to relieve lateral loads on the threaded rod 40 the nuts 45, 46 may be connected to an optional back plate 53 which slides against the rear edges of the mounting plate 38 and a top plate 54 mounted above the rod 40, preferably with interposed low friction bearing surfaces 55 and 56. - 8

The threaded rods 40 of the two drive units are preferably joined together and driven by a single motor, as shown in Fig. 1. The motor could be mounted between the rods and operate via chains or gears to achieve a more compact design. A low voltage motor may be powered by a rechargeable battery or wired to the vehicle battery and operated by a manual reversing switch or remote control. Limit switches can be provided at suitable positions to prevent over-running of the motor. The motor could, if desired, be replaced by manual operating means such as a cranked handle.

In the drawings the support frame is only shown with a small number of structural members, but it will be appreciated that in practice the support frame may have a larger number of members to which loads may be secured. The precise configuration will depend on the kind of loads to be carried. Loads can be secured directly to the support frame or placed in a luggage container secured to the frame, for example.

Starting from the rest position shown in Fig. 15, when the rod 40 rotates to draw the nuts 45 and 46 together the scissor linkage 47 will cause the support frame 8 to slide across the loading edge 5 with a largely translational movement. When the centroid X of the loaded support frame 8 extends past the pivoted guides 15 and 16 as shown in Fig. 16 the support frame may begin to pivot about the aligned pivot axes of the two guides. Eventually the stops 26 will engage the guides preventing further translational movement as shown in Fig. 17, and from then on the movement of the support frame is purely rotational. Eventually the support frame 8 will come to rest in an inclined position, shown in Fig. 18, allowing easy loading and unloading.

The support frame can be returned to the carrying position by reversing 9 - the motor 39, moving apart the nuts 45 and 46, so that the sequence described above is reversed.

The length of the support members 9 and 10 is restricted by the size of the base 1, but further lowering of the support frame for loading and unloading may be achieved using telescopic support members as shown in Fig.s 19 and 20. Each support member 9, 10 may have two or more additional telescopically-engaged sections 60 and 61, with the lower section 60 bridged by additional cross members 62 and 63. Raising and lowering of the support frame may be achieved manually by a rope 64 which passes over a pulley 65 secured to cross member 12 of the upper support frame 8. Alternatively, the rope can be wound onto a drum or shaft 66 which is rotated by an electric motor 67 secured to the cross member 12. Other means of moving the support frames relative to each other can be employed such as, for example, a motor-driven screw secured to the upper support frame which moves a nut secured to the lower frame.

The rods 40, motor and scissor links 47 could be shrouded for improved appearance and weather protection. Also, in larger units additional support members can be provided, driven by similar scissor linkage arrangements.

It will be appreciated that the features disclosed herein may be present in any feasible combination. Whilst the above description lays emphasis on those areas which, in combination, are believed to be new, protection is claimed for any inventive combination of the features disclosed herein. 10

Claims

1. An object holder including: - a base for mounting in a generally horizontal position, the base having a loading edge extending along one side thereof; - a support structure which is movably mounted on the base and which, in a carrying position, substantially overlies the base to support an object; - guide means which constrains the support structure for movement transverse to the loading edge so that the support structure may move beyond the loading edge, - pivot means which constrains the support structure to tilt about a pivot axis disposed adjacent and generally parallel to the loading edge; and - drive means acting between the support structure and the base to move the support structure, constrained by the guide means and the pivot means, into an inclined loading and unloading position adjacent to the base.

2. An object holder according to Claim 1 in which one end of the drive means is pivotally secured to the support structure and the opposite end is pivotally secured to the base.

3. An object holder according to Claim 1 or 2 in which the drive means includes a scissor linkage.

4. An object holder according to Claim 3 in which the scissor linkage is extended and retracted by an electric motor.

5. An object holder according to Claim 4 in which the drive - 11 means includes a plurality of scissor linkages operated by a single electric motor.

6. An object holder according to Claim 3, 4 or 5 in which the scissor linkage can be extended and retracted by a pair of nuts which are movable along oppositely-handed sections of a rotatable rod.

7. An object holder according to any preceding claim in which the support structure includes a plurality of mutually spaced elongate support members disposed transverse to the loading edge and the guide means includes respective guides, secured to the base, which slidably receive the support members.

8. An object holder according to Claim 7 in which the guides are pivotally secured to the base to provide the pivot means.

9. An object holder according to Claim 8 in which the support structure is provided with stops which engage the guides to limit movement of the support structure beyond the loading edge such that further extension of the drive means causes tilting of the support structure about the pivot axis.

10. An object holder according to any preceding claim in which the support structure includes a first part which is constrained by the guide means and the pivot means and at least one further part which is slidable to a lower position relative to the first part when the first part is in the loading and unloading position.

11. An object holder according to any preceding claim in which the base includes a plurality of mutually spaced elongate support - 12 members disposed transverse to the loading edge.

12. An object holder according to any preceding claim in which the object holder is adapted to be mounted on the roof of a motor vehicle.

13. An object holder which is substantially as described with reference to the drawings.